Case Study 4: Decision Making in Kenya
Men’s dominance in ownership of assets and access to resources (material and human) are not the only norms that serve to marginalise women. Even if women own assets, they may have little control or decision making power over how those assets are used. In Kenya, women discuss the problems they face trying to make decisions over their crops.
​
When thinking about a research topic, it is important to understand who makes decisions on relevant issues. For example, if your research topic is about adoption of a new agricultural technology such as trying a new variety of seed, then you will not only need to ask who does the planting of the crop in question but also who makes decisions on whether to try a new variety. Your research may reveal that women predominantly do the planting, but their husbands decide what to grow.
​
These kinds of social norms have implications for your research. For example, if your research is about the outcomes of a trial, then it is important to understand why some people did or did not drop out of the trial. You may find that while women are active farmers and wanted to participate in the trial, they were unable to because their husbands make all the decisions about attending training and did not see the benefit in participating. (Source: Bullock and Tegbaru, 2019)
​
​
“The man is the head of the household, so I have to respect him and ask him when making all decisions. Though I make some decisions on how to plant the maize, I am limited when it comes to selling the maize. If I make the decisions by myself, he gets offended.”
(Source: Bullock and Tegbaru, 2019)
“I make some decisions about the farm because things are different than a decade ago. I have my plot, so I have some authority. However, the man makes decisions about selling the farm produce. This has not changed in the last decade because the man is still the head and owner. Now I can oppose a sale, but ten years ago I had no voice. Concerning the sale of a cow, as a woman my opinion is that she can be heard even though the man’s decision is final. At least he can listen…So for the sake of peace the man is consulted on the ideas that I may have”.
Case Study 5: Group Farming in India
As you can see from the case studies above, sometimes women increase their opportunities within culturally defined parameters (as in the case of chicken farming in Botswana) and sometimes they wish to challenge these parameters, as in the following case below, of women’s farming groups in India. In this case, women pooled land and labour to farm collectively, which enabled them to adopt new income earning roles and transform gender norms in the family and community.
As you can see from the case study, the benefits women derive from their work can encompass values other than increasing income. Women also enjoy status, respect, improved relations in the family and social networks with other women. Social and cultural values are important for women and research should aim to appreciate the benefits women derive from participating in activities associated with the research question you are investigating.
(Source: Agarwal, 2019)
For example, in northern Pakistan, women enjoy taking their sheep grazing because they spend this time socialising with friends and family. (Source: Cook and Butts, 2017)
​
“When grazing livestock, we went with girls our own age to make the work more joyful … We always went together to collect fuelwood happily … While going to the animal shelters with our mothers we sang songs. I feel it was a beautiful life we spent together.”
“In the beginning everyone said women can’t work, but we proved them wrong. Earlier we did daily wage work, but we feel happy that now we are farming by ourselves.”
(Source: Agarwal, 2019)
“We have gained a strong identity in the village due to group farming, learnt the importance of natural manure, which crops are suited to our field, and which fertilizers and pesticides to use. We are better able to make decisions in the family as well.”
“Through the farming group, I realized that I have good leadership qualities and could also manage the technical aspects of farming. Other group members now listen to me carefully and with respect.”
The case studies above illustrate common social norms such as unequal access to assets and resources and lack of decision making power that shape gender relations and the organisation of livelihood activities in households. Applied research conducted in the field, will encounter these issues and it is important for researchers to be aware of the possible implications these gendered social norms have for their work. Women and men also measure benefits of livelihood activities in terms of values such as status and improvements in relations with friends and family. These values might even be more important than income therefore they shape attitudes to the agricultural or livestock activities you are researching.